Hey Everyone,
Just wanted to get a quick note out and let you all know that I’m home safe and sound. Travel was about as easy as I could have asked for. No delays, no cancellations, no missed connections, no lost bags, etc. My flight itinerary was Bamako-Paris-Atlanta-Lexington. I was a little pushed for time getting to my last flight having to go through customs in Atlanta but thanks so gentle encouragement to others my path to customs was cleared and with the aid of modern technology (moving sidewalk, trams, shuttles) I made it to my gate with about 5 minutes to spare, which conveniently enough, was just enough time to make my first American food purchase. It was totally cliché, but I bought a drink at Starbucks…and it was delicious.
My neighbor on the last flight didn’t say much until we started to descend into Lexington where my face apparently said it all. He didn’t ask if it was home he just asked how long it’d been since I’d been home. Apparently I’d be a terrible poker player because he could read so easily how utterly happy I was to be home. I’ve been a mix of emotions since I left Sebanso and I fully expect that to continue over the next few weeks/months but for those few moments I knew exactly what I felt.
Lexington is in my opinion one of the most beautiful cities in the world thanks to our green rolling hills and horse farms, and man did it feel good to see those again. The drive home was quick given the airport isn’t far and despite yet another cliché it really didn’t feel like I’d left. I could see some visual evidence that I’d been gone of course. My dog Cora is getting a little grey around her muzzle, my niece (who wasn’t even born when I left) is walking around the house, we have a new addition to the house as our family dog Zoe now resides in the house after Lucky passed away a few months ago, and my parent’s house which hasn’t moved has a new address thanks to some road construction. Other things fortunately haven’t changed at all, my room was as welcoming and comfortable as I could have asked for, my mom’s food is still delicious, and my horse PJ is just as fat as ever. It’s good to be home.
All I really asked for as far as meals go these next few days are vegetables, fruit, more veggies, some good meat, milk, and more veggies. I’ve not requested rice and don’t suspect I will for a few days. I only have about a week home before I fly down to Tampa to live with Becky while Phil is traveling on business. I’m really looking forward to catching up with my sister and decompressing on a beach from my African adventure.
I hope all is well with everyone. These next few months are going to be a mental, emotional and physical battle as I readjust to living in America but I’m excited for this next phase and so grateful for all the support I had in Mali. Couldn’t have done it without you all,
Much love,
Cait
September 9, 2011- Last Day
Hey Everyone,
It’s that time. My last day is finally here. I’ve just checked my bags and got my boarding passes from the Air France office so I’m ready to go tonight. Peace Corps is taking me to the airport around 8pm and my flight leaves just before 11pm in theory. My nerves always get a little jittery when I’m flying but today I don’t feel it much. I guess a part of me is no longer stressed at the prospect of travel...I became very accustomed to delays, cancellations, missing connecting transport, breakdowns, etc all in another language. Plus, I’m fairly confident I won’t have to sleep in the side of the road or ride on a plane with no windows, seats, or roof…
I’m so tired of goodbyes and am very much looking forward to some much anticipated greetings!! I’ve tried to enjoy my last few days in Mali and not dwell on the goodbyes. To do this well, I ate well. And often. And a lot. I decided to go out with a bang and so this week has been really fun.
I took the Peace Corps shuttle down on Sunday and stayed at the volunteer house in Bamako most of the week with the exception of one night when I splurged to stay at a quaint hotel downtown. Date nights are hard to come by but Justin and I did it well this week. We had cocktails at happy hour and an appetizer then a delicious meal plus dessert…I haven’t had that much good food in a long time. Plus the ambiance was really nice.
The Bamako National Park was opened last year for the 50th anniversary of their Independence Day and Justin and I went back in January and decided to go again because it was so nice. We even went to the “expat grocery store” and bought cheese, salami, bread and wine for a picnic in the park. It felt so normal. It’s funny to see Malian couples being affectionate too. In Bamako things are different. In Sebanso (most any village) I spent two years and still don’t know who is married to whom because there are rarely moments of affection shared. In the park it almost felt a little scandalous seeing so many couples holding hands or out on dates.
Last night I went to Indian food with Justin and a few friends and after properly foundering on a delicious dinner I decided I had room for ice cream so went to my favorite ice cream shop (there are now 2 ice cream shops…talk about sustainable development!).
The work aspect of this past week was fairly stressful but totally manageable and each day was productive but never overwhelming. I was cleared medically, tested Advanced-Middle in my final language Exam, had an exit interview with my boss and the country director of Mali, turned in all my Peace Corps books and bike and medical equipment…man did I acquire a lot of stuff over two years. It was frustrating working around so many people’s schedules but it feels pretty great having everything done.
I’m getting excited now with the flight just a few hours away…it finally seems real that I’m actually going. I said goodbye to Justin this morning, he took a Peace Corps shuttle up to his place in Bandiagara. It was a really hard goodbye but we have a couple of busy weeks ahead of us and I suspect they will pass quickly for us both. I guess I’ll close for now. It’s been a fabulous 27 months. I hope you’ve enjoyed the letters home and tomorrow afternoon, I’ll finally be home.
Much love,
Cait
It’s that time. My last day is finally here. I’ve just checked my bags and got my boarding passes from the Air France office so I’m ready to go tonight. Peace Corps is taking me to the airport around 8pm and my flight leaves just before 11pm in theory. My nerves always get a little jittery when I’m flying but today I don’t feel it much. I guess a part of me is no longer stressed at the prospect of travel...I became very accustomed to delays, cancellations, missing connecting transport, breakdowns, etc all in another language. Plus, I’m fairly confident I won’t have to sleep in the side of the road or ride on a plane with no windows, seats, or roof…
I’m so tired of goodbyes and am very much looking forward to some much anticipated greetings!! I’ve tried to enjoy my last few days in Mali and not dwell on the goodbyes. To do this well, I ate well. And often. And a lot. I decided to go out with a bang and so this week has been really fun.
I took the Peace Corps shuttle down on Sunday and stayed at the volunteer house in Bamako most of the week with the exception of one night when I splurged to stay at a quaint hotel downtown. Date nights are hard to come by but Justin and I did it well this week. We had cocktails at happy hour and an appetizer then a delicious meal plus dessert…I haven’t had that much good food in a long time. Plus the ambiance was really nice.
The Bamako National Park was opened last year for the 50th anniversary of their Independence Day and Justin and I went back in January and decided to go again because it was so nice. We even went to the “expat grocery store” and bought cheese, salami, bread and wine for a picnic in the park. It felt so normal. It’s funny to see Malian couples being affectionate too. In Bamako things are different. In Sebanso (most any village) I spent two years and still don’t know who is married to whom because there are rarely moments of affection shared. In the park it almost felt a little scandalous seeing so many couples holding hands or out on dates.
Last night I went to Indian food with Justin and a few friends and after properly foundering on a delicious dinner I decided I had room for ice cream so went to my favorite ice cream shop (there are now 2 ice cream shops…talk about sustainable development!).
The work aspect of this past week was fairly stressful but totally manageable and each day was productive but never overwhelming. I was cleared medically, tested Advanced-Middle in my final language Exam, had an exit interview with my boss and the country director of Mali, turned in all my Peace Corps books and bike and medical equipment…man did I acquire a lot of stuff over two years. It was frustrating working around so many people’s schedules but it feels pretty great having everything done.
I’m getting excited now with the flight just a few hours away…it finally seems real that I’m actually going. I said goodbye to Justin this morning, he took a Peace Corps shuttle up to his place in Bandiagara. It was a really hard goodbye but we have a couple of busy weeks ahead of us and I suspect they will pass quickly for us both. I guess I’ll close for now. It’s been a fabulous 27 months. I hope you’ve enjoyed the letters home and tomorrow afternoon, I’ll finally be home.
Much love,
Cait
September 1, 2011
Hey Everyone,
I just moved out of Sebanso yesterday and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. However, the next several weeks are going to be really busy and will help to distract me. I’m already a little intimidated at the thought of readjusting to life in America, but I’m excited to be home and back to some of the amenities I’ve gone without.
My last two weeks were as perfect as I could have asked for. Bah and I have been planning a goodbye party in my village that we had on Saturday night and it went off without a hitch. I invited some volunteers in my area and their homologues so I had four American friends that could come. My host family made an abundance of Zame (kind of like fried rice), woso (sweet potato fries), beans (I am a Coulibaly after all and we are the bean eaters), and we killed my goat. It was delicious and I nearly foundered. Afterwards we went to the common area where the chief of the village set up his TV to run off a generator and watch movies with the whole village. All the men made tea all night but the kids were enamored with the TV as it really was a rare occasion for them.
Sunday was my last church service and I bought some candy for the kids to give when they leave for Sunday school. It was a pretty uneventful evening which was nice to get back to the norm after the craziness of the day before. We were originally supposed to have my last animal raising cooperative meeting Sunday night, but much needed rain was in the horizon so we postponed it to Monday night which was again postponed to Tuesday, also due to the rain. It hadn’t rained since I got back so we were in desperate need of rain…and we weren’t disappointed. It rained all day Monday.
The week before I helped went with Bah and his family to weed the peanut fields. It was the first time I’ve ever been invited to work with them…Bah said he gave me my field to practice then when I proved competent he moved me to the “real” fields. I was quite proud of myself and villagers passing yelled out “Mali muso!!” which was really exciting in their recognition of my being a Malian woman.
Packing up my house turned into a several day event…I’d get sad and have to take a break. My last full day, Tuesday was mostly spent packing but the holy month of fasting, Ramadan, ended on Monday so Bah’s best friend Kardi had a small feast to celebrate on Tuesday afternoon. We only have a handful of Muslim families in my village (unlike the rest of the very Muslim country) but it’s nice to celebrate both Muslim and Christian holidays. The cooperative meeting finally took place Tuesday night and I said a few words to thank them for their hard work and prepared them for my replacement volunteer coming in December. I was proud of my composure up to this point but Wednesday was an entirely different story.
I got up early and took some pictures of my family that I can send to another volunteer to give to Bah once I get home. I had to finish packing and cleaning my hut, made much more complicated as I was constantly interrupted with people stopping by to say goodbye. Crying is culturally very inappropriate and I really tried my best not too, but the kids finally wore me down and then I was a mess the rest of the day. My host dad gave me beautiful Bogolon (mud died cloth) fabric and many others gave me peanuts or chickens, all of which are pretty standard gifts. Bah’s wife too woke up early and made me some bean cakes which I love and then cooked a chicken for lunch. After the final goodbye, I met a friend on the road who had a car and was on his way to San so he gave me ride which made logistics much easier than waiting for a bus to come by.
Everything seemed pretty daunting these past few weeks, it was my last everything. My last day at market, my last day in the fields, my last bike ride, etc, but when my actual last day finally came it was heartbreaking. It’s difficult knowing that I could never adequately tell my family how much they mean to me and knowing how long, if ever, it will be before I get to see them again. The kids were especially hard to say goodbye to. I can hug them without it being inappropriate which was nice. I know I followed all of Malian protocol in my goodbyes, but it was a little empty for me because it felt like a poor goodbye in American standards thus the kids were really important to me.
Now in San, I’m daunted at the task of packing. I acquired a lot of stuff over the two years and sorting through everyone is a multiple day event. I have to close my bank account today and want to make some muffins to give my San friends around town. Additionally I want to finish my paperwork before I get down to Bamako so I can make those last few days as stress free as I can manage. I leave a week from tomorrow and it doesn’t feel possible that I can get everything done before I go, but I suppose most everything I have to do is pretty routine and I’m just another volunteer to COS.
I hope everyone is well; I’ll try and get another update out just before I go, but I hope everyone has a good Labor Day weekend. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Love,
Cait
I just moved out of Sebanso yesterday and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. However, the next several weeks are going to be really busy and will help to distract me. I’m already a little intimidated at the thought of readjusting to life in America, but I’m excited to be home and back to some of the amenities I’ve gone without.
My last two weeks were as perfect as I could have asked for. Bah and I have been planning a goodbye party in my village that we had on Saturday night and it went off without a hitch. I invited some volunteers in my area and their homologues so I had four American friends that could come. My host family made an abundance of Zame (kind of like fried rice), woso (sweet potato fries), beans (I am a Coulibaly after all and we are the bean eaters), and we killed my goat. It was delicious and I nearly foundered. Afterwards we went to the common area where the chief of the village set up his TV to run off a generator and watch movies with the whole village. All the men made tea all night but the kids were enamored with the TV as it really was a rare occasion for them.
Sunday was my last church service and I bought some candy for the kids to give when they leave for Sunday school. It was a pretty uneventful evening which was nice to get back to the norm after the craziness of the day before. We were originally supposed to have my last animal raising cooperative meeting Sunday night, but much needed rain was in the horizon so we postponed it to Monday night which was again postponed to Tuesday, also due to the rain. It hadn’t rained since I got back so we were in desperate need of rain…and we weren’t disappointed. It rained all day Monday.
The week before I helped went with Bah and his family to weed the peanut fields. It was the first time I’ve ever been invited to work with them…Bah said he gave me my field to practice then when I proved competent he moved me to the “real” fields. I was quite proud of myself and villagers passing yelled out “Mali muso!!” which was really exciting in their recognition of my being a Malian woman.
Packing up my house turned into a several day event…I’d get sad and have to take a break. My last full day, Tuesday was mostly spent packing but the holy month of fasting, Ramadan, ended on Monday so Bah’s best friend Kardi had a small feast to celebrate on Tuesday afternoon. We only have a handful of Muslim families in my village (unlike the rest of the very Muslim country) but it’s nice to celebrate both Muslim and Christian holidays. The cooperative meeting finally took place Tuesday night and I said a few words to thank them for their hard work and prepared them for my replacement volunteer coming in December. I was proud of my composure up to this point but Wednesday was an entirely different story.
I got up early and took some pictures of my family that I can send to another volunteer to give to Bah once I get home. I had to finish packing and cleaning my hut, made much more complicated as I was constantly interrupted with people stopping by to say goodbye. Crying is culturally very inappropriate and I really tried my best not too, but the kids finally wore me down and then I was a mess the rest of the day. My host dad gave me beautiful Bogolon (mud died cloth) fabric and many others gave me peanuts or chickens, all of which are pretty standard gifts. Bah’s wife too woke up early and made me some bean cakes which I love and then cooked a chicken for lunch. After the final goodbye, I met a friend on the road who had a car and was on his way to San so he gave me ride which made logistics much easier than waiting for a bus to come by.
Everything seemed pretty daunting these past few weeks, it was my last everything. My last day at market, my last day in the fields, my last bike ride, etc, but when my actual last day finally came it was heartbreaking. It’s difficult knowing that I could never adequately tell my family how much they mean to me and knowing how long, if ever, it will be before I get to see them again. The kids were especially hard to say goodbye to. I can hug them without it being inappropriate which was nice. I know I followed all of Malian protocol in my goodbyes, but it was a little empty for me because it felt like a poor goodbye in American standards thus the kids were really important to me.
Now in San, I’m daunted at the task of packing. I acquired a lot of stuff over the two years and sorting through everyone is a multiple day event. I have to close my bank account today and want to make some muffins to give my San friends around town. Additionally I want to finish my paperwork before I get down to Bamako so I can make those last few days as stress free as I can manage. I leave a week from tomorrow and it doesn’t feel possible that I can get everything done before I go, but I suppose most everything I have to do is pretty routine and I’m just another volunteer to COS.
I hope everyone is well; I’ll try and get another update out just before I go, but I hope everyone has a good Labor Day weekend. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Love,
Cait
August 19
Hey Everyone!
I had to make a quick trip to San to buy some gifts for village. I’m getting my host family some fabric (a pretty standard though nice gift given Malian emphasis on clothes) and am hosting a small goodbye party at my homologue's house. We’re having rice and beans and drinking tea on the night of the 27th. My last name is Coulibaly and we’re known as the bean eaters, so it’s only fitting that we have beans during my last few days. I also bought a goat at market…but I felt just awful…It was like sentencing him to death; which I suppose I did.
I’m still very much dreading my last day of goodbyes. The 31st will be one of the hardest days of my life. It’s even more daunting knowing the communication struggles that exist here but I hope to do my best to stay in touch (challenges include, illiteracy, no address, expensive phone credit, etc). I’ve already had a lot of goodbyes from my American friends but those too I still have more to make.
Otherwise, all is well here. I’m very content in my last few days. I’ve been busy farming my peanut field…I’m still incredibly slow, but the village is impressed with my ability so that was at least encouraging. My body disagreed with it though and I’m still sore and the blisters on my hands haven’t turned to callus yet so they just hurt all the time. People do now take my hands and make fun that my white person hands have turned into Malian hands accustomed to a hard life of working in the fields…a vast improvement from the jest that my white person hands are so soft and can’t do Malian work.
I brought my laptop to site this past stint and have been working with Bah’s oldest daughter, Madeline, on typing. Of course the French keyboard is different than the English keyboard but she is at least getting familiar with the general concept. I’m really proud of her. She just passed her exams so she can continue on to 12th grade; no small feat given the fail rate is well over 50%.
The new baby in the family is super cute. He still doesn’t have a name as the waiting period to announce the name isn’t over yet, but I’ve been asked for some ideas so we’ll see if they take any. One of my highlights of the past 2 weeks was when Kardi, who has always been timid and often cried at my approach, finally ran up to greet me in the morning and held my hand as I tried to go about my morning chores…which actually was really annoying after the “cuteness” wore off as it’s really hard to pull water from a well when you have a child clinging to your arm.
I guess I have no more updates to catch you all up on. I’m excited to get back to site and enjoy my last week and half. The prospect of going home is actually upon me now and that too is driving force to keeping my spirits up during the sad goodbyes. I hope all is well back home and I can’t wait to see everyone when I get home in 3 weeks!
Love,
Cait
I had to make a quick trip to San to buy some gifts for village. I’m getting my host family some fabric (a pretty standard though nice gift given Malian emphasis on clothes) and am hosting a small goodbye party at my homologue's house. We’re having rice and beans and drinking tea on the night of the 27th. My last name is Coulibaly and we’re known as the bean eaters, so it’s only fitting that we have beans during my last few days. I also bought a goat at market…but I felt just awful…It was like sentencing him to death; which I suppose I did.
I’m still very much dreading my last day of goodbyes. The 31st will be one of the hardest days of my life. It’s even more daunting knowing the communication struggles that exist here but I hope to do my best to stay in touch (challenges include, illiteracy, no address, expensive phone credit, etc). I’ve already had a lot of goodbyes from my American friends but those too I still have more to make.
Otherwise, all is well here. I’m very content in my last few days. I’ve been busy farming my peanut field…I’m still incredibly slow, but the village is impressed with my ability so that was at least encouraging. My body disagreed with it though and I’m still sore and the blisters on my hands haven’t turned to callus yet so they just hurt all the time. People do now take my hands and make fun that my white person hands have turned into Malian hands accustomed to a hard life of working in the fields…a vast improvement from the jest that my white person hands are so soft and can’t do Malian work.
I brought my laptop to site this past stint and have been working with Bah’s oldest daughter, Madeline, on typing. Of course the French keyboard is different than the English keyboard but she is at least getting familiar with the general concept. I’m really proud of her. She just passed her exams so she can continue on to 12th grade; no small feat given the fail rate is well over 50%.
The new baby in the family is super cute. He still doesn’t have a name as the waiting period to announce the name isn’t over yet, but I’ve been asked for some ideas so we’ll see if they take any. One of my highlights of the past 2 weeks was when Kardi, who has always been timid and often cried at my approach, finally ran up to greet me in the morning and held my hand as I tried to go about my morning chores…which actually was really annoying after the “cuteness” wore off as it’s really hard to pull water from a well when you have a child clinging to your arm.
I guess I have no more updates to catch you all up on. I’m excited to get back to site and enjoy my last week and half. The prospect of going home is actually upon me now and that too is driving force to keeping my spirits up during the sad goodbyes. I hope all is well back home and I can’t wait to see everyone when I get home in 3 weeks!
Love,
Cait
July 28, 2011
Hey Everyone,
I just biked into San for perhaps the last time ever!!! Hard to believe it but the next and last time I come to San will be on public transport because I’ll have my suitcase and water filter and more luggage that won’t fit on the back of my bike. It was a cool and non windy morning so about as much as I could ask for as far as ideal Mali bike riding weather goes.
It is supposedly rainy season though it’s got off to a very rough start. It should be raining just about every day but it rained twice in the past 3 weeks…my village is nervous to say the least. Last year was a great harvest so to have a drought this year won’t be too detrimental to the village but the danger lies in having another bad harvest next year in which case food becomes scarce and money that is already hard to come by becomes nearly impossible to acquire as food prices soar. I’m hopeful August will bring more rain and ease the palpable tension in Sebanso.
It’s been a nice few weeks at site despite the lack of rain. Bah’s oldest daughter, Madeline and I chat and make sweet potato fries most afternoons to sell and then we get to eat the delicious left over woso (Bambara for sweet potato). I’ve had a good amount of time to read as well and chat with friends who have returned from Bamako for rainy season, but don’t have any work to do in the fields because the lack of rain has made the ground rock hard. When people are in the fields, the kids are left to fend for themselves in village so I’ve spent a good deal of time playing with them as well. They’re always a source of entertainment. There are, however, still a few who cry at the site of me…though I probably propagate that fear when I chase them away from the well when I go to pull water…
I visited my friend, Lindsey at her village and spent the past weekend there. It was really nice to have some girl time as two of my best girlfriends have already COS’d and returned to America. Her younger sister in Iowa had a high school play that we watched on Lyndsey's computer at night and I’m so impressed with the talent of those kids. It was a musical and some of those voices belong on Broadway. It was also startling to see high school students and realize that it’s been 6+ years since I was in their shoes…and I thought I was so grown up then.
I’ll be in San for a few days with perhaps a day trip down to Segou for some more shopping but things are really winding down here and mostly just getting things ready to come home. I’m moving out on August 31st and spending a few days in San before I go to Bamako for my medical exam and Close of Service interviews/last minute paperwork. It’s smooth sailing until then, just enjoying my last few weeks. Hope everyone is well and I miss you all terribly.
Much Love,
Cait
I just biked into San for perhaps the last time ever!!! Hard to believe it but the next and last time I come to San will be on public transport because I’ll have my suitcase and water filter and more luggage that won’t fit on the back of my bike. It was a cool and non windy morning so about as much as I could ask for as far as ideal Mali bike riding weather goes.
It is supposedly rainy season though it’s got off to a very rough start. It should be raining just about every day but it rained twice in the past 3 weeks…my village is nervous to say the least. Last year was a great harvest so to have a drought this year won’t be too detrimental to the village but the danger lies in having another bad harvest next year in which case food becomes scarce and money that is already hard to come by becomes nearly impossible to acquire as food prices soar. I’m hopeful August will bring more rain and ease the palpable tension in Sebanso.
It’s been a nice few weeks at site despite the lack of rain. Bah’s oldest daughter, Madeline and I chat and make sweet potato fries most afternoons to sell and then we get to eat the delicious left over woso (Bambara for sweet potato). I’ve had a good amount of time to read as well and chat with friends who have returned from Bamako for rainy season, but don’t have any work to do in the fields because the lack of rain has made the ground rock hard. When people are in the fields, the kids are left to fend for themselves in village so I’ve spent a good deal of time playing with them as well. They’re always a source of entertainment. There are, however, still a few who cry at the site of me…though I probably propagate that fear when I chase them away from the well when I go to pull water…
I visited my friend, Lindsey at her village and spent the past weekend there. It was really nice to have some girl time as two of my best girlfriends have already COS’d and returned to America. Her younger sister in Iowa had a high school play that we watched on Lyndsey's computer at night and I’m so impressed with the talent of those kids. It was a musical and some of those voices belong on Broadway. It was also startling to see high school students and realize that it’s been 6+ years since I was in their shoes…and I thought I was so grown up then.
I’ll be in San for a few days with perhaps a day trip down to Segou for some more shopping but things are really winding down here and mostly just getting things ready to come home. I’m moving out on August 31st and spending a few days in San before I go to Bamako for my medical exam and Close of Service interviews/last minute paperwork. It’s smooth sailing until then, just enjoying my last few weeks. Hope everyone is well and I miss you all terribly.
Much Love,
Cait
July 10, 2011
Hey Everyone,
It hasn’t been long since my last update, but I expect to be at site for a few weeks before I get back to internet. This will be my last long stint at site with a trip out in early-mid August and then moving out at the end of August. Today marks my two year anniversary in country and my third July away from home…
Today is also a big day as my first niece turns 1 and I found out that baby Z, due in November, will be a boy and whose birth I’ll be home for!
I just returned from a trip, perhaps my last, from visiting up north. I left last Sunday with my friend Lindsey whose sisters were in town visiting from home. She rented a car to take us up and very appropriately, we broke down just an hour outside of Bandiagara. We made it though and in relatively good time despite the hiccup. There was a small party for the fourth with some quality pool time at one of the nicer hotels but sad to say no fireworks. The weather was nice however. Rainy season is just getting underway at my site, and Bandiagara is about 2-3 weeks behind so the weather was cooler without the rain.
I got some shopping done in Bandiagara, but towards the end of the week, I wanted to visit Mopti, the regional capital which I’ve never been to before despite all my time in the region. Justin and I took an early car out and got to Mopti before it got too hot and spent the day shopping, hanging out at the pool and enjoying the AC at a local hotel. I’ve been trying to get the last of my souvenirs and gift shopping done this month and succeeded with the majority of it. We went to walk by the huge mud mosque in Mopti and stumbled across a very new museum of the mud buildings in Mali. I’ve now been to the two mud mosques I am allowed to visit as the others reside in the north of the country, Timbuktu and Gao, where it has been deemed unsafe to travel. Thus Djene and Mopti will have to suffice. The mosque in Djene is the only one recorded as a World Heritage Site, but the Mopti mosque was still quite impressive.
Mopti is located as the meeting point of the two major rivers in Mali, the Bani and Niger, thus a major fishing town. This is also a large port in accessing the salt mines in Timbuktu and Gao so everywhere we looked there were enormous mounds of salt. It was a cool market but a little overwhelming being treated as a tourist. We would be hassled until we started speaking Bambara or Donoso (Justin’s language) then prices were dropped nearly in half of what they were originally asking and even lower once we bargained. I felt a little vindicated being able to chat with the locals and being treated more fairly, but it was annoying none the less. We ended a wonderful day at a delicious restaurant overlooking the river…a river whose bank was several feet deep in trash, but we live in Mali and were just delighted to see water.
Not too much else to report on my end. I’m looking forward to a few weeks at site. Much of my days will be spent in the fields though I suspect my lack of farming skills will serve only for entertainment then I’ll be sent to rest under the trees. It’s probably for the best; I’m really slow and can’t plant a straight row of millet to save my life. Already the ground is greener and things are sprouting and I’m pretty excited that I’ll be leaving Mali at its prettiest time of year. 9 months a year it’s brown and barren but for a few blessed weeks it’s green and alive and beautiful.
Hope all is well back home and looking forward to being there in eight short weeks.
Love,
Cait
It hasn’t been long since my last update, but I expect to be at site for a few weeks before I get back to internet. This will be my last long stint at site with a trip out in early-mid August and then moving out at the end of August. Today marks my two year anniversary in country and my third July away from home…
Today is also a big day as my first niece turns 1 and I found out that baby Z, due in November, will be a boy and whose birth I’ll be home for!
I just returned from a trip, perhaps my last, from visiting up north. I left last Sunday with my friend Lindsey whose sisters were in town visiting from home. She rented a car to take us up and very appropriately, we broke down just an hour outside of Bandiagara. We made it though and in relatively good time despite the hiccup. There was a small party for the fourth with some quality pool time at one of the nicer hotels but sad to say no fireworks. The weather was nice however. Rainy season is just getting underway at my site, and Bandiagara is about 2-3 weeks behind so the weather was cooler without the rain.
I got some shopping done in Bandiagara, but towards the end of the week, I wanted to visit Mopti, the regional capital which I’ve never been to before despite all my time in the region. Justin and I took an early car out and got to Mopti before it got too hot and spent the day shopping, hanging out at the pool and enjoying the AC at a local hotel. I’ve been trying to get the last of my souvenirs and gift shopping done this month and succeeded with the majority of it. We went to walk by the huge mud mosque in Mopti and stumbled across a very new museum of the mud buildings in Mali. I’ve now been to the two mud mosques I am allowed to visit as the others reside in the north of the country, Timbuktu and Gao, where it has been deemed unsafe to travel. Thus Djene and Mopti will have to suffice. The mosque in Djene is the only one recorded as a World Heritage Site, but the Mopti mosque was still quite impressive.
Mopti is located as the meeting point of the two major rivers in Mali, the Bani and Niger, thus a major fishing town. This is also a large port in accessing the salt mines in Timbuktu and Gao so everywhere we looked there were enormous mounds of salt. It was a cool market but a little overwhelming being treated as a tourist. We would be hassled until we started speaking Bambara or Donoso (Justin’s language) then prices were dropped nearly in half of what they were originally asking and even lower once we bargained. I felt a little vindicated being able to chat with the locals and being treated more fairly, but it was annoying none the less. We ended a wonderful day at a delicious restaurant overlooking the river…a river whose bank was several feet deep in trash, but we live in Mali and were just delighted to see water.
Not too much else to report on my end. I’m looking forward to a few weeks at site. Much of my days will be spent in the fields though I suspect my lack of farming skills will serve only for entertainment then I’ll be sent to rest under the trees. It’s probably for the best; I’m really slow and can’t plant a straight row of millet to save my life. Already the ground is greener and things are sprouting and I’m pretty excited that I’ll be leaving Mali at its prettiest time of year. 9 months a year it’s brown and barren but for a few blessed weeks it’s green and alive and beautiful.
Hope all is well back home and looking forward to being there in eight short weeks.
Love,
Cait
July 2, 2011
Hey everyone,
It’s official that my Close of Service (COS) date is set for September 9, 2011. I don’t have my flight information yet, but it’s very likely that I’ll be home a few days after that date. I can’t believe that the time is already here to start planning my life back home, but with less than two months left at Sebanso, I have to start mentally and emotionally preparing myself.
The COS conference was brief, but fun to see everyone again…well, what’s left of us anyways. Of the original 66 starting in Philadelphia we ended with 36 at the conference. The days consisted of lots of logistics and paperwork, but also resume building and interviewing tips as well as some networking opportunities with Returned volunteers (RPCV’s) stateside. And perhaps more importantly, the conference was held in a AC hotel and Peace Corps paid for our rooms for 4 nights and all our meals…I didn’t each rice or millet once that whole week!!
Next week is not only Independence Day in the States but also marks my 2 year anniversary in Peace Corps. I left home early on July 7, 2009 and arrived in Mali on July 10, 2009. This July 10th, will be extra special as it marks an anniversary for me, but also my first niece’s first birthday. Time can be ruthless sometimes in how quickly is slips by, so I’m trying to make an extra effort to take in as much as I can each day.
I was only at site for a week before coming into San on my way up to Bandiagara for the 4th of July. One of my girlfriends in San is taking her sisters, visiting from the States, up north to go on a Dogon hike. Dogon country is beautiful year round, but especially in rainy season when there is actually some green instead of the desert and rocks. I feel lucky to have seen that part of the country as often as I have, it’s one of the biggest tourist destinations in Mali and I have friends who speak the local dialects so it makes the whole experience more enjoyable.
It never fails during rainy season that when I want to leave to bike into San, the night before downpours. With rainy season just starting the rain is completely unpredictable but I can pretty much guarantee that if I want to bike, it will rain…I can single handedly end droughts facing my community. That said, this morning I was delayed in leaving then battled a VERY muddy 6 kilometers to get to the road. Men farming in their fields literally stopped their cows plowing to watch me struggle…I never cease to be a source of entertainment for Malians.
I’m looking forward to my last few weeks at site and feel good about the amount of time I have left to say all my goodbyes and have some closure. I know it will pass quickly but I’m looking forward to the next stage of my life back home and that too is making the transition more bearable. The goodbyes will be painful, but I think that just means I developed some amazing relationships and it should hurt to close that part of my life. Fortunately, I get to put off the inevitable for a few more weeks.
Hope everyone has a fabulous Independence Day and I wish a very Happy Birthday to Allison (and a Happy Anniversary to Molly and Chad!)
Love,
Cait
It’s official that my Close of Service (COS) date is set for September 9, 2011. I don’t have my flight information yet, but it’s very likely that I’ll be home a few days after that date. I can’t believe that the time is already here to start planning my life back home, but with less than two months left at Sebanso, I have to start mentally and emotionally preparing myself.
The COS conference was brief, but fun to see everyone again…well, what’s left of us anyways. Of the original 66 starting in Philadelphia we ended with 36 at the conference. The days consisted of lots of logistics and paperwork, but also resume building and interviewing tips as well as some networking opportunities with Returned volunteers (RPCV’s) stateside. And perhaps more importantly, the conference was held in a AC hotel and Peace Corps paid for our rooms for 4 nights and all our meals…I didn’t each rice or millet once that whole week!!
Next week is not only Independence Day in the States but also marks my 2 year anniversary in Peace Corps. I left home early on July 7, 2009 and arrived in Mali on July 10, 2009. This July 10th, will be extra special as it marks an anniversary for me, but also my first niece’s first birthday. Time can be ruthless sometimes in how quickly is slips by, so I’m trying to make an extra effort to take in as much as I can each day.
I was only at site for a week before coming into San on my way up to Bandiagara for the 4th of July. One of my girlfriends in San is taking her sisters, visiting from the States, up north to go on a Dogon hike. Dogon country is beautiful year round, but especially in rainy season when there is actually some green instead of the desert and rocks. I feel lucky to have seen that part of the country as often as I have, it’s one of the biggest tourist destinations in Mali and I have friends who speak the local dialects so it makes the whole experience more enjoyable.
It never fails during rainy season that when I want to leave to bike into San, the night before downpours. With rainy season just starting the rain is completely unpredictable but I can pretty much guarantee that if I want to bike, it will rain…I can single handedly end droughts facing my community. That said, this morning I was delayed in leaving then battled a VERY muddy 6 kilometers to get to the road. Men farming in their fields literally stopped their cows plowing to watch me struggle…I never cease to be a source of entertainment for Malians.
I’m looking forward to my last few weeks at site and feel good about the amount of time I have left to say all my goodbyes and have some closure. I know it will pass quickly but I’m looking forward to the next stage of my life back home and that too is making the transition more bearable. The goodbyes will be painful, but I think that just means I developed some amazing relationships and it should hurt to close that part of my life. Fortunately, I get to put off the inevitable for a few more weeks.
Hope everyone has a fabulous Independence Day and I wish a very Happy Birthday to Allison (and a Happy Anniversary to Molly and Chad!)
Love,
Cait
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